Counting-machine.



H. RAWNSLEY.

COUNTING MACHINE. I APPLICATION mm 11m. 21. l9l6.

1,209,203; Patented Dec. 19,1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOLLON RAWNSLEY, F SPRINGVALE, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO GOODALL WORSTEDCOMPANY, OF SANFORD, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

COUNTING-MACHINE.

Application filed January 27, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIoLLoN RAwNsLnY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Springvale, township of Sanford, Maine, have invented anImprovement in Counting- Machines, of which the following descrip tion,in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to counting ma chines and has particularreference to such machines as are employed for counting bobbins orsimilar articles used in the manufacture of textile goods. This devicefunctions equally for unfilled as for filled bobbins. The disadvantageof the machine at present employed is that a plurality of ar ticlesoften pass the counter or registering device with the result that asingle unit is registered. A counting machine of this type is generallyemployed in conjunction with the usual sorting table and conditioningapparatus. lVhcn so used the counting device is interposed between thesorting table and the conditioner so that; the bobbins may be counted asthey pass from the sorting table to the conditioning machine.

The object of this invention is to produce an improved counting machinewhich will accurately count a plurality of articles presented thereto.

Another object is to provide such a counting machine with a wide rangeof adjustability to accommodate articles of variant sizes and shapes.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in theannexed claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section through the counting machine;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a partial section onthe line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. & is a side elevation of the drive for theendless belt or conveyer; Fig. is a detail view of the block raisingcross-head.

In this selected embodiment of the invention the structure is shown asadapted to count various kinds of either filled or unfilled bobbins usedin the textile art but, obviously, with slight modification articles ofother shapes and sizes may be counted. The sorting table 1, upon whichare placed the bobbins 2, has associated therewith a Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Serial No. 74,693.

conveyer which functions to deliver the bobbins to the registering orcounting mechanism. In this embodiment, there is provided for thisfunction, an endless belt 3 which travels between the two flat pulleys4; and 5 so that the top run of the belt is substantially in thehorizontal plane of the sorting table surface which is cut away topermit the facile positioning of the bobbins upon the conveyor. Thepulley 4, suitably journaled in the frame 11, is'an idler, while thepulley 5, is driven from the cam shaft 6 journaled in brackets 12 on themain frame. For this purpose a gear 7 is mounted to intermesh with thegear 8 with which the pulley 5 is revoluble and with the pinion 9revoluble with the cam shaft 6. The pulley 5 is journaled in blocks, seeF ig. 2, to allow for belt adjustment and hence the gear 7 is mounted inthe adjustable plate 10 secured to the main frame 11 in order to permitof its movement to compensate for adjustment of the pulley 5 and itsgear 8. The cam shaft is driven from a suitable power source. In thisembodiment the transmission of the power from the source employed isthrough the belting 13 which aetuates the chain 1 L through theintermediary of a clutch member not now claimed. This chain engages theteeth of a sprocket 15 mounted upon the cam shaft 6 which is revolubletherewith.

The sorting table has, as is usual, a relatively high backboard topermit a large number of bobbins to be piled thereon, while the side ofthe sort-ing table adjacent the conveyor has, as shown in Fig. 3, a siderail 16. The longitudinal plate 17 is secured to the inside face of therail 16. The function of this construction'is to afford a guide on thisside for the ends of the bobbins and to reduce friction and, to assuredurability, such plate is preferably metallic. The opposite ends of thebobbins 2 are directed in their travel with the conveyer by the guide 18which similarly is preferably metallic in substance. This guide 18 is,in this selected embodiment, so mounted as to be readily adjustable toaccommodate varying lengths of bobbins or other articles. The guide hasa preferably integral arm 19 which is demountably secured to theoutstanding arm 20 of an angle-iron by the bolt 22, the other arm 21 ofwhich is demountably secured by the bolt 67 to the cross bar 23 of theframe 11. A plurality of holes are provided in this bar 23 but forconvenience only one is shown in Fig. 3. When bobbins or other articlesof greater length than those illustrated are counted, the arm 21 ismoved and bolted so as to give the desired width between the side railplate and the guide 18 or it may be wholly removed in which case theguide 24 permanently secured to the frame performs its function. Thebobbins 2 are thus carried along by the conveyor and guided to themechanism which cooperatively functions to receive a single bobbin at atime, to raise it and to cause the bobbin to be forced against atripping mechanism which actuates a counting or registering apparatusand then is permitted to drop away from the machine.

The stop 25 and the upper face of the reciprocatory block 26 inconjunction with the frame of the machine form substantially a receivingchamber to accommodate a single bobbin. The block 26, in descending toits lowest position of vertical travel permits a bobbin to be deliveredon the upper face thereof by the conveyer. The block 26 is normally heldin its highest limit of travel by spring tensioned means and isdepressed to its lowest position by cam-actuated means. The block 26, inthis selected embodiment, has a pair of reciprocally mounted stems 27which bear at their lower ends a structure functioning substantially asa cross-head. The transverse bar 28 of the frame of the machine hassecured. thereto, by any suitable means, a transverse member 29,preferably a casting. The two bosses 3O depend therefrom. The transversemember 29 and the bosses 30 are bored or suitably apertured to admit thefacile passage therethrough of the stems 27 of the block 26, each stembeing thus reciprocal in a boss 30. The upper face of the member 29 isbeveled to prevent the accumulation of waste or dirt thereon. Suchaccumulation would seriously impair the camming function of block assuch waste, firmly packed by repeated descents of the block, would notpermit the full travel of the block. This beveled face permits thesliding off of dirt or waste falling thereon from the bobbin eonveyer orelsewhere. The lower ends of the stems are secured to the cross-head 31by the nuts 32. The curved arms 33 depend from the cross-head 31adjacent its ends and are linked at their lower ends each to a spring34. The cross-head and, hence, the stemmed block 26 are normally held intheir elevated positions. The crosshead is depressed against this springtension through the intermediary of a cam and follower. A suitablyshaped cam 35 is secured to and is rotatable with the cam shaft 6 andoperatively engages the inner end of the follower 36 pivotally mountedin a bracket 37 on the frame of the machine. The outer end of thefollower 36 bears upon the upper face of the head 38 carried on a screwreceived in threaded engagement in the cross head. The head 38preferably has recesses 39 to receive a pin or similar instrumentalityto turn the screw on the cross'head in order to elevate or depress thehead and thus adjustably alter the throw of the cross-head.

In Fig. 1 the block is shown in its highest position of travel. At thispoint the ram 40, which is cam-actuated in timed relation to the block,forces the bobbin 2 against the trip 41 of the registering mechanism.The pivotally mounted trip swinging outward permits the bobbin to rolldown the chute 42 to a conditioning machine or to a suitable receptacle.The ram extends the width of the conveyer and is suitably slidablymounted in the frame sides. It is directly actuated by means secured tothe cars 43 between which is pivotally secured the rod 44 and this-rodhas mounted thereon suit- "able tension means such as the coil spring45, the lower end of which bears against the collar 46 while the upperend bears against the sleeve 47 which is slipped upon the rod [and heldagainst demounting by the nuts 48.

The spring is preferably sufliciently stiff so that, normally, relativemovement is not permitted between the sleeve 47 and the rod. The springmeans is here interposed as a single factor of safety to guard againstinjuring the ram or bobbin should either become jammed. The arm 49 ispivotally secured to the sleeve 47 and, at its other end, is secured tothe rock shaft 50. This shaft ,is pivotally mounted, as'shown in Fig. 3,in the machine frame. The follower 51 is fastened and imparts motion tothe rock shaft. The lower end portion of this follower is held againstthe eccentric cam 52 of the cam shaft by the spring 53, one end thereofbeing attached to the follower and the other to the frame by the pin 54.The ram 40 thus reciprocates in obedience to the movement of theeccentric cam 52 secured to the cam shaft 6 in a definite cam-functionrelation to the cam 35 which controls the movement of the elevatingblock 26. The transverse bar 55 extends across the machine and forms thetop of the bobbin receiving chamher. This member is preferably made intwo pieces in order to permit full forward movement of the ears 43 ofthe ram 40. The guide 56 is positioned above the conveyer and adjacentthe end portion thereof and functions to prevent the bobbins from pilinand serves to retain them in alinement adjacent the receiving chamber.This guide 56 is suspended in such manner that it may be "adjusted tobobbins of different thicknesses. In this embodiment a boss 57 ispreferably integrally formed on the guide. This boss 57 terminates in athreaded stem 58 which is held in relatively adjustable position by thenuts 59 to a block which in turn is $8- cured to the bar 23 of the frame11.

Any suitable form of registering meehanisni may be used and in thisembodiment it consists of the trip 41 which, through a system of leversfunctions to actuate the register ($0. The trip is pivotally mounted onthe frame and secured to the shaft of the trip is the arm 61, (see Fig.2) which has a plurality of holes 62, in one of which may be secured apin carried by the arm 63 whereby the two arms are pivotally securedtogether. The upper end of this arm 63 is pivotally secured to the rod64 which is rigidly mounted in the block 65 secured to the machineframe. The block 65 is adjustably pivotally mounted in the machine frameto afford adjustment of the rod 64:, correi lating the movement of itspivot to any change in adjustment of the rod 63. This transverse rod 64is in turn secured to an upright leading to the lever 65 of the register60 which is supported by the bracket 66 secured to the frame.

The operation of the device is simple, accurate and eflicient and whilevarious articles may be counted by this mechanism, this embodiment isparticularly adapted to count bobbins. The high back of the sortingtable permits relatively large number of bobbins to be placed thereon.The ends of the sorted bobbins are abutted against the longitudinal railplate 17 which serves as a bobbin positioning member. Thus positioned,they are manually fed upon the conveyer and thereby carried to thereceiving chamber while coineidently directed on their other ends by theguide 18 the front of which is flared as shown in Fig. 3, to admitreadily the bobbins. From the conveyer the bobbins one at a time pass tothe receiving chamber when the block 26 is in depressed position underthe action of the cam follower 36. Upon the elevation of the thenspring-tensioned block, the bobbin is raised while retained by the sidesof the frame and the back stop 25. The shape of the cam 35 permits of adefinite amount of lost motion when the block is at "its highest pointof travel. At that time, the ram 40 indirectly actuated by the eccentriccam 52 moves forward. The relative positions of the various parts of thecounting machine at such time is shown in Fig. 1. The ram 40, movingforward, pushes the bobbin against the pivoted trip 41 which, inswinging backward, causes a unit to be registered on the register dialand also permits the bobbin to drop down the chute 42 to a conditioningmachine or a suitable receptacle. By the interposition of coiled springsin the actuating means for the ram 40 and for the block 25 liability toderangement of or of injury to the machine and to the articles beingcounted is minimized. Should an article become jammed in the receivingchamber, the maximum force exerted against the article by the block 26is only that of the springs as, the cam follower 36 functioning idly asits true working path is in a downward direction against the tension ofthese springs. Similarly, the maximum force exertable by the ram on ajammed article is limited to that of the spring 45 in tensioned forwardposition, as the sleeve 17 riding down th rod 41 cannot move the ram 40against re sistance greater than that of the spring 45 in such forwardcoiled position. The guide 18 is provided with an adjustable mounting sothat when longer bobbins or articles are counted, the guide may be movedto the left of the position shown in Fig. 3 or, it may, if necessary, beremoved altogether. In the latter contingency, the rail 24: functions asthe left guide. The overhead guide 56 is provided with an adjustablemounting whereby its position may be vertically altered. The adjustmentis employed when the articles are of greater thickness than thosedisclosed in the drawings herein. This guide is raised or loweredthrough manipulation of the nut 59 on the threaded stem 58. The path oftraverse of the ram 10 may be regulated by the plurality of adjustmentson the ram arm and its connections.

There is thus provided a simple and efiicient counting machine whichaccurately registers the passage of each and every article therethroughand which has a wide range of adjustability to accommodate varying sizesof articles. Its construction cost is relatively low and the structureis durable, not liable to derangement or to injure the articles counted.Its operative efficiency may be maintained at a higher rate of speedthan the present types.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, reciprocatingmeans to present articles to the counting instrumentality, and meansreciprocating in timed relation to said first-mentioned reciprocatingmeans and actuated independently thereof to cause said presentedarticles to actuate the counting instrumentality.

2. In a counting machine, a counting in strunientality, yieldablyactuated means for presenting the articles to said instrumentality andmeans for causing the articles to operate the counting instrumentality.

3. In a counting machine, a counting in strumentality, a reciprocatingblock to present articles to the counting instrumentality and meansoperated independently of the block for causing the presented article toactuate the counting instrumentality.

4. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, a yieldablyactuated block to present articles to the counting instrumentality andmeans operated independently of the block for causing the presentedarticle to actuate the counting instrumentality.

5. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, a movable block, amovable ram, coordinated means yieldably operable from a single shaft toactuate the block and the ram, and thereby cause articles to bepresented to and to actuate the counting instrumentality.

6. In a counting machine, a counting in strumentality, a member movableto present an article to said instrumentality, supporting means for saidmember normally tensionally held in elevated position, a head on saidsupporting means, an element engaging said head to depress the same andto permit its return to normal position, means for adjusting said headon said supporting means whereby its travel may be altered, and meansmovable to cause said presented article to actuate the countinginstrumentality.

7. In a counting machine a counting instrumentality, means forsuccessively presenting articles adjacent the instrumentality, a guidingmember on each side of said presenting means, a complementary removableguide to cooperate with one of said members, said complementary guidebeing adjustable cooperatively to guide difl'erentsized articles andremovable to permit guiding of largest articles, and means to cause thepresented articles to actuate the counting instrumentality.

8. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, a conveyor for thearticles to be counted, means successively to present the conveyedarticles to the counting instrumentality, a ram, means for slidablymounting said ram, means for reciprocally actuating said slidable ram intimed relation to said presenting means whereby the ram causes saidpresented articles toactuate the counting instrumentality. V

9. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, a membertensionably held in elevated position, means for depressing said memberagainst tension to receive an article and thereafter permitting returnto elevated position whereby said article is presented adjacent theinstrumentality, and means movable to cause said article to actuate theinstrumentality and be thereby counted.

10. In a counting machine, a counting device, a conveyer for advancingarticles successively, means to present the foremost article adjacentsaid device, means movable to cause the presented article to operate thecounting device, a driven member, means on said member continuously todrive the conveyer and to drive, in timed relation, the presenting meansand the said movable means whereby articles are successively advanced,presented to and counted by the counting device.

11. In a counting machine, a counting instrumentality, means foradvancing articles successively, means to present the foremost articleadjacent said instrumentality, means movable to cause the presentedarticle to operate the instrumentality, a driven member, a cam thereon,a follower to actuate said presenting means and a follower to actuatesaid movable means, said cam being shaped to actuate the followers intimed relation whereby the articles are successively presented to andcounted by the instrumentality.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification.

HOLLON RAVVNSLEY.

Copis of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U.

